Improved machine for bending tubes



itam-d' 'tant @met otitis- MOSES G. WILDER, OF TEST MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGrNOItl TO NATHAN F.

GRISIVOLD AND GEORGE F. SEARLES, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent 1Y0. 92,134, lated June 29, 1869.

IIVIPROVED MA CHINE FOR BENDING- TUBES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making paxt of the same.

To all whom tt may concern.'

Beit known that I, Moses G. WILDnu, of West Meriden, in the county ot' New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Machine for Bending Tubes; and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description and specification of my said invent-ion. -f

The object of my invention is particularly to bend tubes of thin sheet-metal, such as the tapering beaks of oil-feeders, but the invention is applicable to the bending of tubes for other purposes.

Tubes of thin metal have hitherto been bent while supported internally either upon a iilling or core of pitch, or some equivalent substance, or upon a flexible mandrel, so that the tube was prevented from co1- lapsing or crimpingr by the article within it.

I have discovered that such tubes may be bent by ,the use of proper rolling-dies, without the necessity 0f employing a core, filling, or mandrel, and my new machine operates upon this principle.

My machine is composed ot' certain combinations ofthe following instrumentalities, viz:

First, two grooved dies, which are curved longitudinally, and have cavities or grooves, whose cross-sections are the counterparts of the bent tube to be produced. l

Second, a bridle or clamp, by means of which the tube is compelled to remain in contact with one'ot the said dies, while being bent to its longitudinal curvature.

Third, shafts, or their equivalents, upon which said dies are mounted, so as to turn or roll.

Fourth, cog-wheels, or their equivalents, by means of which the dies are caused to maintain their proper relative positions during the bending ot' the tube.

Fifth, a level', or its equivalent, by means ot' which the dies can be pressed towards each other` Sixth, a lever, or .its equivalent, by means of which the dies can be caused to exert' a rolling action upon the tube submitted to them.

In order that my inventioirmay be fully understood, I have represented in the accompauyigng drawing a machine embodyingr all parts ot' my invention, and I will proceed to describe the same, at'ter which 1 will specify the instrumentalities composing each of my new combinations.

Figure l represents a side view of the machine;

Figure 2 represents an end view of it; and

Figure 3' represents atransverse section of it through the. dies and bridle. v

The dies A B of' this machine are secured to ends of two shafts, C D, which are constructed to turn in bearings in a frame, L.

One ofthe dies, which, in -this example, is the lower die A, has the longitudinalcurvature of the bent tube; and as the tube is bent to the curved form 'of this die, itmay be termed the forming-die.

The other, or upper die, B, is so curved as to roll upon the lower die A and as the ofice of this die is to press the tube to the torin of the forming-die, when the two are turned in concert, this second die, B, may be termed the bending-die.

Each. of the dies has a cavity, m, formed in its face, correspondmg in cross-section with the crosssection ot' half of the tube.

The formng-die A has a bridle, F, connected with it; the bridle and die being formed, by preference, of one piece of. metal, as they are in the machine represented in the drawings.

The shafts O D ot' the two dies are connected by cog-wheels, G G', so that when one die is turned, the other is compelled to turn'correspondingly.

The lever H, by which the dies can be pressed towards each other, is arranged to operate upon one'of the bearings, I, of the shalt D ot' the bending-die B; and the lever J, by which the dies are caused to ex'- ert a rolling action upon the tube, is connected, in this example, with the forming-die A, and though it,

.and the shafts and cog-wheels, with the bending-die In using this machine, the two dies are set as represented in iigs. 1 and 3, and the tube to be bent is entered into the cavitiesl of the dies by inserting it endwise under thc bridle F.

Then, one hand ot the operator is applied to the lever H, to exert pressure upon the dies, and the other hand is applied to the lever J, to cause them'to roll upon the tube.

As the bridle F holds the tube in contact with the fbrming-die A, the outer end oi' the tube cannot rise li'om that die, and consequently the effect of the movement otl the bending-die upon the lower, is to pressthe tube into the cavity of the latter, and cause the tube to conform to the longitudinal curvature of the fortning-die. I

Moreover, as during this operation the cavities of the two dies embrace the tube, it cannot fiat-ten nur collapse.

It a straight tube, of uniform section throughout, is to be bent, the cavities of the dies must Abe ot' uniform section, or thereabouts, throughout their length, and it'the tube is taperiugthe cavities of the'dies must be tapered in a corresponding manner.

It'the tube has a longitudinal seam, that seam should be placed in the bottom ofthe cavity of the formingdie; but if the seam be soldered, this precaution is not always necessary. 1

The machine described by me is one which I have used with success; but I do not restrict my invention to a machine of this precise form and arrangement, as modifications may be -made 'without changing the invention.

Thus, for example, the machine might be so constructed that the forming-die A, with its bridle, re-

mainetl stationary, while the bending-dieV might be caused to roll over and along the forming-die.

What. I claim as my invention, and desire to se cure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the two grooved dies, coustructed to rollupon the tube, and the bridle for holding the tube to one of the flies, substantially as before set. forth.

2. Also, the combination of the said grooved diesmal bridle with cog-wheels, by which one die is caused to roll upon the other, substantially as before set forth.

3. Also, the combination of the said grooved dies, bridle, and cog-wheels, with shafts, substantially as before set forth.

4. Also, the combination of said groei/ed dies and bridle with a lever, by which the dies are pressed to gether, substantially as before set forth.

Also, the combination ofthe said grooved [lies and bridle, with a lever, by which the dies can be 

